Athletics of To-Day 1929

Athletics of To-day No. 3 portrays the finish of a perfect throw. The ((walk'' action of the legs has been properly preserved, the left leg is well stiffened to form a column of resistance, and there is complete follow-through of the whole right side, shoulder, arm and hand. The body is not quite as fully on to its work as is Myrra's in No. 5, Plate 40. In Nos. 4, 5, and 6, Plate 42, depicting the breaking-up process, the foot fulcrum work of the stiffened left leg, and the follow through of the arm and body are admirably shown, as is also, in No. 6, the right knee pick-up action as the right leg goes forward to complete the reverse. The three pictures forming Plate 43 indicate methods whereby two athletes may teach each other the throwing action. These were taken in the week preceding the English A.A.A. Champion– ships, rg28, when Lay and I were working together. In No. I the athlete acting as instructor demonstrates a correct position against the other man's pull on the javelin tail, and the man acting as pupil imitates his movements. No. 2 shows how the instructor ((sets" and adjusts the pupil's position and controls the pull upon the javelin. The points being demonstrated are shoulder squareness and level height, and the fault of allowing the javelin point to tip upwards, as the instructor is making it do. No. 3 shows the way in which Lay was temporarily cured of dropping the left shoulder by having his left elbow pressed up, as the javelin was raised to correct delivery height directly above the right shoulder, with the body held upright. Again, the fault of allowing the javelin head to rise at too steep an angle is being emphasized. By this system of co-operative training Lay added more than 20 ft. to this throw in a week. Athletes employing the mutual coaching system should watch for the following faults in one another: r.-The head of the javelin is tilted up during the run (Scandinavian style), or cants up during the throwing action. 2.-The running steps are not quick and springy and the speed is not cumulative. 3.-The arm is not drawn smoothly back over the shoulder, or is kept too long at stretch before the throw begins (Scandina-